Last-gasp Hammers let off hook by Bees

ROBIN Townsend has told his side they must learn how to hold on to a lead after conceding a late equaliser in their latest outing at St Mary’s Field.

Bridport Reserves took the lead on the hour through a wonderful strike from Jack Scovell, only to let the Hammers off the hook with just two minutes to go. Townsend said: “We started brightly but without Max Buck-ler, who went back with the first team, we probably missed that little bit of extra quality that someone like him gives us.

“Matt Condliffe came down from the first team and he hit the bar on 20 minutes but for much of the first half we lacked that cutting edge in the final third.

“At the other end, Jamie Fry hardly had a save to make but with only seven of our 11 players at the races we continued to find it difficult to break them down.

“We eventually got the goal on the hour when Jack found the top corner with a fantastic strike on the angle but we failed to go and get the second and with two minutes to go got undone by a routine ball over the top. “Not for the first time this season we failed to hold on to a lead and that is something we need to learn to do. We also need to find some consistency.”

The Bees, who visit Blandford United on Saturday, remain fifth in the table but Townsend wants his men to strive for much more.

He added: “After beating Merley Cobham Sports 7-0 the previous week I think some of the lads might have thought they had already made it but hopefully they will take this result on the chin now and learn from it.

“They have set the bar they have got to reach, not me, and unfortunately on this occasion they didn’t reach it but the good thing about this game is there is always another match around the corner in which you can put things right.”